Chicago Area Local News

CHICAGO (CBS) ― Threats of violence posted in a freshman residence hall at a Catholic university have forced the indefinite closure of all three of the school's campuses and all of its buildings, according to a statement from the university. 

The latter of two graffiti threats posted in April read: "Be prepared to die on 4/14."

Saint Xavier University, which has campuses in Chicago and Orland Park, announced all classes are canceled for the school's 5,700 students. But community events held on campus are still scheduled.

All students were ordered to be off campus by noon Saturday. At 11:45 a.m., all the students still on campus were to board buses which will take them to hotels provided by the university. It was not immediately learned how many students will board buses.

Students began evacuating dorms on Friday.

Students who may not be able to easily return home or afford transportation should call (773) 341-5060 for assistance.

CBS 2's Mike Parker reports students leaving campus Friday night had mixed feelings.

"I've been to public schools and this kind of stuff's written on bathroom walls all the time," said student Steven Harper. "I really don't think there's much to get that much in a tizzy about."

"At first I thought it was a cruel joke, but, you know, in these days with Northern Illinois, Va. Tech, you don't play with these things," said student Grace Hobson.

Understandably some students were thinking Friday night of the Feb. 14 slayings at Northern Illinois University.

"This is just getting way out of hand now," said student Jade Braden. "Definitely this is the right thing to do."

In a statement released on the university's Web site Friday evening, President Judith A. Dwyer, Ph.D., said: "The University commits itself to practicing eight core values as it engages in a search for truth and knowledge. We commit to the values of Respect, Excellence, Compassion, Service, Hospitality, Integrity, Diversity, and Learning for Life.

"Two instances of threatening graffiti found on April 5 and April 10 in Regina Hall, a freshman residence hall, have violated the spirit of these values." 

"In this day and age, given Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University, when you have a threat made against students or other members of the university community, you have to take steps to ensure that everyone is safe," university spokesman Joe Moore said Friday. "Even if that means erring on the side of being overly cautious."

Moore declined to give more details of what the graffiti looked like and where the messages were found exactly, citing an ongoing investigation.

Security has been increased on campus, including the use of Chicago police and the FBI, said Chicago police spokeswoman Monique Bond.

"We continue to monitor the situation with our federal partners and we have increased security around the area as a precaution," Bond said.

No one was in custody in connection with the threats on Friday evening.

"During this process we have relied heavily on the advice and direction of our dedicated law enforcement agencies to ensure that actions and communications regarding this matter protect the safety of all involved," Dwyer said.

Graffiti was first found April 5 in a bathroom stall at the coed dorm. The message was of a "threatening but nonspecific nature," the school said in a statement.

The incident was reported to campus authorities and Chicago police. Saint Xavier increased staff at the residence hall, which houses about 245 students, and discussed the incident with the people who lived there, officials said.

Moore said many students were interviewed and the dorm hosted group discussions to reassure students.

Then officials found the second message referencing the threat for Monday.

"Officers have conducted an aggressive investigation throughout the week," according to the university's statement. "The investigation remains open at this time."

The university would help students who could not afford to travel home or didn't have a place to stay while campus is closed, Moore said.

Campuses around Illinois have been on alert since a Valentine's Day shooting when a gunman burst into a lecture hall at NIU, killing five students and wounding 18 others before turning the gun on himself.

The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested a University of Illinois at Chicago student in late February for allegedly making e-mail threats of a "mass shooting" on the UIC campus. She was charged with one count of making threats through use of interstate commerce.

And Illinois State University said in late February police were investigating graffiti found in a dorm bathroom that referenced the NIU incident. The graffiti was scrawled in black marker on a toilet-paper dispenser and read "ISU is the next NIU."

CBS 2's Mike Parker and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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